Groundbreaking Finding Our Voices program started as a Christmas wish and now involves 37 dentists across nine counties
CAMDEN — Maine dentists have donated $325,000 in pro bono dental care to women survivors of domestic abuse in a groundbreaking program that fixes damage from emotional as well as physical trauma.
Finding Our Smiles is a program of the survivor-led, grassroots and statewide nonprofit Finding Our Voices. It involves 37 general dentists, oral surgeons, endodontists, prosthodontists, orthodontists and dental hygienists across nine counties. Dental labs across the country are also participating.
In three years, 47 Maine women survivors have had their smiles and confidence restored, and in most cases their general health as well, according to Patrisha McLean, CEO/founder of Finding Our Voices. For example, volunteer dentists have fixed a tooth that was chipped during an attempted-murder assault, and others have restored teeth that decayed due to decades of “not being allowed” to visit a dentist or even to brush their teeth.
McLean said that Finding Our Smiles is apparently the only pro-bono dental program in the United States that exclusively treats women domestic abuse survivors, and the only program that provides restorative dental care for psychological as well as physical abuse.
The program’s dental advisors Dr. Rob Berube, an oral surgeon in Augusta, and David Pier, a general dentist in Midcoast Maine, have donated $66,000.00 in collaborative dental care for Finding Our Smiles patients.
Dr. Pier of Mt. Pleasant Dental Wellness has given back smiles to 17 domestic abuse survivors through the Maine program.
“I’ve treated women who were struck in the mouth — one with a baseball bat, another with a crowbar,” he said. “Others were denied basic dental care because their abusers forbade them from missing work or even brushing their teeth. For these courageous women, their damaged smiles are daily reminders of the violence they’ve endured. Restoring their smiles does more than repair teeth — it restores dignity, confidence and hope.
“One patient told me, ‘For the first time in years, a mirror is my friend rather than my enemy.”
McLean said Dr. Pier’s “Yes” three Christmases ago to her text message of “Please can you give back the smile” of a sister-survivor was the spark for the group’s pro bono dental program.
Dr. Rob Berube of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery committed to Finding Our Smiles after hearing McLean’s presentation about the program to a dental society where he was also a speaker. He has since helped to bring 15 of his colleagues into the Finding Our Voices program.
“In my 30-year career,” said Dr. Berube, “I have never seen an organization develop such a comprehensive provider network to serve truly needy patients on personal journeys to safety, health and happiness.”
McLean said three dentists and one dental lab came together to give back the smile of a woman from Auburn named Christina whose front teeth smashed when an intimate partner pushed her down a long set of concrete stairs. Prosthodontist Dr. Bright Chang and oral surgeon Dr. Matt Lawler of southern Maine provided treatment valued at $16,000, with Dr. Jessica Sikora of Gagnon Dental in Farmingdale and North Shore Dental Lab out of Boston also donating their services.
Because the survivor was very nervous about the first dental surgery, Mary Kamradt, operations director of Finding Our Voices, traveled from her Rockport home to Dr. Lawler’s South Portland office to provide sister-support, and five months later to Chang’s Portland office to celebrate Christina’s brand-new, radiant smile and fresh start to her life.
Finding Our Voices receives no government funding and looks to individual and corporate donations as well as grants to fund Finding Our Smiles expenses which are primarily administrative time, according to McLean. Finding Our Smiles sponsors are Northeast Delta Dental Foundation, which provided a 2025 grant of $7,500, and Kennebec Savings, which provided a 2025 grant of $5,000.
“I am stunned by the generosity and kindness of Maine’s dental community,” said Mary Kamradt. “It is heartwarming to see dental providers join forces for our sister survivors — and heartwarming all over again to hear how that care leads to a first job after escaping abuse, getting out into the world after being embarrassed to leave their apartment, and being more present and joyful for their children.”
For a list of the dentists and dental labs volunteering with Finding Our Smiles visit https://findingourvoices.net/. McLean said the group wants to expand the program and invites dental providers not yet on board to get in touch with her at [email protected].
Finding Our Smiles is operated through referral. McLean said that anyone interested in its pro-bono dental help should contact Finding Our Voices through the nonprofit’s website and not the dental offices.
Finding Our Voices is the statewide nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse and providing meaningful resources for its sister survivors across Maine. Its other impactful and innovative programs include the Get Out Stay Out Fund that has so far disbursed $400,000 for shelter, car, legal and food expenses; a children’s fund; Healing-Together Retreats; a weekly online support group and domestic abuse-prevention projects in middle schools and high schools.
For more information or to donate to the nonprofit, visit https://findingourvoices.net.
